Even though this report about the lockout ending seems to be premature, there is hope that a settlement is near...

June 9, 2011

SOURCE: NFL lockout almost over

Bill Burt
bburt@eagletribune.com

A deal to end the National Football League's lockout is almost complete, according to an NFL source.

According to the source, owners and players were close to an agreement today to end the lockout, which entered its 86th day today.

Some coaches and players have been contacted about returning to work probably early next week and possibly as soon as this weekend.

The two sides were meeting secretly in Manhattan the last three days. Included in those meetings were Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Commissioner Roger Goodell, Judge Arthur Boylan and NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith.

The group reportedly met last week in Chicago.

This means that the season is expected to begin, as scheduled on Thursday, Sept. 8, when the New Orleans Saints play at Green Bay.

Last night a report surfaced from Bill Burt of the Eagle Tribune in Massachusetts saying "a deal to end the National Football League's lockout is almost complete, according to an NFL source."

Initially this report actually stated that the lockout had ended, but the writer went back and edited his column with the above quote because it apparently set off the panic alarm between the NFL and NFLPA. Both George Atallah and the Greg Aiello almost broke their fingers in their frenzy to deny the report via Twitter.

After all that, another report came out by Eric Edholm of Pro Football Weekly discussing the premature report by the Eagle Tribune but also stated the following:

A league source told PFW that the story of the lockout ending was "premature." However, the same source also added that things "could move quickly" toward a resolution.

Even though the initial report about the lockout ending was "premature," the mere fact that a league source used that particular term gives us hope that a settlement is near. When you combine that with all of the not-so "secret meetings" between key owners, Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith, maybe the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.

We can only hope that our football famine will soon come to an end. Things are looking positive at the moment, so the visions of training camps and free agency can still dance in your head. If the lockout ends in time to where it doesn't impact the most important aspects of the offseason (or the in-season for that matter), all I will say is...hallelujah!

Though it’s still way too early to claim that the lockout is “over” or “almost over,” the signs of progress continue to emerge.

The latest? Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal reports that the the “expectation is for a framework agreement in about two weeks.”

Kaplan’s report meshes with other chatter we’re hearing. None of it may mean much in isolation, but taken together it suggests that teams are now operating under the assumption that the full season — with preseason and training camp — will unfold as scheduled.

Though there’s still no specific reason to believe a settlement definitely will happen, the sense of optimism not only has lasted for well over a week but also has consistently grown. Soon, conventional wisdom could be that the failure to do a deal will be a major upset.

Why are some owners considered more 'key' than other owners in regards to these discussions? Is Bob Kraft really a 'key' owner in the NFL? Don't all of the owners have the same thing on the line?

RuthlessBurgher

06-13-2011, 01:10 PM

Yeah, all owners have the same thing on the line, but it has tended to be Bob Kraft, Jerry Jones, Art Rooney, John Mara, and Jerry Richardson at the negotiating table.

Similarly, all players have the same thing on the line, but it has tended to be Mike Vrabel, Jeff Saturday, and Kevin Mawae at the negotiating table.

Mister Pittsburgh

06-13-2011, 03:12 PM

teams have player reps. do the owners have designated reps as well? I just hate bob kraft and jerry jones so don't like seeing them listed as key reps for the owners. Bob Kraft reminds me of one of the fat old dudes in a tux that yanks the groundhog out of the stump on groundhog day.

RuthlessBurgher

06-13-2011, 03:14 PM

teams have player reps. do the owners have designated reps as well? I just hate bob kraft and jerry jones so don't like seeing them listed as key reps for the owners. Bob Kraft reminds me of one of the fat old dudes in a tux that yanks the groundhog out of the stump on groundhog day.

Over the weekend, Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal reported via Twitter the existence of an expectation that a framework for a labor deal could come in two weeks.

Now, Mark Maske of the Washington Post reports that sources on both sides of the dispute said Tuesday that a deal could be struck in the next two to three weeks.

From a marketing and P.R. standpoint, we think there’s tremendous value in trying to announce a new deal on the Wednesday or Thursday before the three-day Fourth of July weekend. That would require the agreement to be reached in 15 or 16 days.

This week, on As the Lockout Turns, things are heating up. With scheduled training camp time approaching rapidly and the specter of the cancellation of games becoming more of a reality by the minute, the Montagues and the Capulets are in what I can only describe as, "Oh, crap!" mode.

As I write this, another "secret" meeting that it seems everyone knows about is transpiring in the Washington, D.C. area. Negotiators for both sides are present, and it is reported that they will meet for multiple days. I'd consider that a great sign if only I could get my head wrapped around why it has taken them so long to do this without court-ordered mediation. How could these captains of industry, with everything at stake, wait this long to get serious about closing the gap between the two sides of this cluster-duck?

On the litigious side of the melee, we await the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals to offer up their decision on the legality of the lockout. They heard arguments on June 3. It makes complete sense that they haven't come to a decision considering when they ruled on upholding the stay on Judge Susan Nelson's original ruling to end the lockout, they essentially told all of us that they would rule the lockout legal and keep it in place. But hey, it's summer, we wouldn't want to cut into any vacation time for the members of the 8th Circuit. There's only a billion dollar industry employing thousands of people at stake here, not to mention the possible cancellation of what has become America's most popular obsession.

Both sides are also reported to be in "deal-making" mode. I'm not quite sure what that means in comparison to the mode they've been in since this started at the beginning of March. Oh yes, I do know. It means one by one it's becoming evident that they are about to lose large amounts of cash. Again, what did they think was going to happen? Are these owners that naive that they believed the players would get to this point and cave? Yes, the players have much to lose once they start to miss game checks, but the owners are going to be losing money way before that. It starts at the ticket gate, and it continues straight through the pre-season. Nobody wants to buy pre-season tickets but rabid groups like Philadelphia Eagle fans and Pittsburgh Steeler fans and Green Bay Packer fans (and many other teams) know that there's a long line waiting for season tickets right behind them. They pay for those games. There are millions upon millions to lose by the loss of just the pre-season.

Next week, league meetings will be held in Chicago, which means that all the owners will be there. They've reportedly been told to pack a bag because they won't be heading back home the same day. Many of these owners have not been a part of the recent run of "secret" meetings that have taken place in Chicago and Long Island over the last couple of weeks. Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers, Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, John Mara of the New York Giants and Art Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers represented the owners at these gatherings. I've yet to find any information telling me why those five were chosen to represent that group. Outside of Richardson, the rest are from power teams. Could it be that they have the most to lose without a swift resolution to this mess? Or, have the other owners put this in their hands to run with.

More than likely this little sleepover beginning June 21 will include more than pillow fights and smores. While I'm sure that the glad-handing amongst owners could last for weeks if not months, what will probably transpire is a vote on what just may be the offer that will get this done. This is both encouraging and maddeningly frightening. There is nothing else on the docket that will put all these men in the same room again any time before the 2011 season as we would have it is on death's door. The offer they vote on must be approved by 24 of the 32 teams.

While all of these meetings have been described as "encouraging," progress can only be measured by the word "concession." There needs to be concessions on both sides, and many reports state that although they are pounding away, the two sides are still a football field apart. If the owners put an offer to a vote and it is rejected, where does that leave us? If they pass a vote and make an offer to the players and the players reject it, where does that leave us? Both of these sides are heading toward the losing end of this battle arm-in-arm if something doesn't come out of the next couple of weeks. If they can agree on a deal in principle it will still take weeks to iron out details. This is the last chance the Montagues and Capulets have to save a full football season that includes training camps, rookie free agents, actual free agents and a full schedule that gets everybody paid an ungodly amount of money no matter the agreement.

If they don't, one side might as well go see the apothecary, and the other might as well sharpen their dagger.

SOURCE:

ESPN

Pete Lieber is a freelance writer and a Philadelphia sports enthusiast. Follow him on Twitter at @Lieber14.

Report: Owners, players have about 80 percent of a deal doneI have no idea what it was that swung the NFL's lockout from dark, immovable hatred to merry optimism in about a week, but that's what apparently happened. The latest ray of sunshine comes from Mike Freeman at CBSSports.com. Dig it:

One source with intimate knowledge of the discussions tells me negotiations are 80-85 percent complete. They've made such fast progress, I'm told, it's catching many of the principals by surprise. Some are now canceling vacations, believing an agreement will be reached within a matter of days.

Basically, it seems, we continue to move solidly into that threshold of a season will be played, not if one will be played. Again, barring the knucklehead factor.

"It's going to be very difficult for this to get screwed up," the source said.

Well, let's be careful not to underestimate anyone. Jerry Richardson might submarine the whole process just to prove that he can.

I'd really like it if someone who was involved with these negotiations every step of the way would, after the fact, write a tell-all book about exactly what happened. I'd love to know exactly who were the chief antagonizers in the process, whose irrationality was most obstructive in getting a deal done, and who were the heroes who stepped in on the side of common sense, compromise and rational thinking. It would be fascinating to truly know what changed the process along the way and who was responsible for it.

That's probably pretty unlikely, though. I doubt anyone will want to rat on a fellow owner, and I'm sure there'll be all sorts of confidentiality agreements. We're not likely to ever know what really happened.

But, recent events point to us having football, complete with training camps, free agency, a supplemental draft and a complete preseason. If that's the case, it leaves us all to figure out for ourselves how we'll look at the NFL from now on. No harm, no foul? Forget everything and just move on? Or will you still be harboring some bitterness?

We'll have to figure that out as the situation proceeds.

Discipline of Steel

06-15-2011, 06:53 AM

But, recent events point to us having football, complete with training camps, free agency, a supplemental draft and a complete preseason. If that's the case, it leaves us all to figure out for ourselves how we'll look at the NFL from now on. No harm, no foul? Forget everything and just move on? Or will you still be harboring some bitterness?

Meanwhile, the defenders are still treated like criminals. Ill be harboring bitterness, barely restraining it until the first Steeler gets ejected or fined over the new rule enforcements. That is where my true resentment lies.

Oviedo

06-15-2011, 01:29 PM

From ESPN

One person close to the talks even went so far as to say, "This almost blew up yesterday."

How close it did is a matter of opinion. Fact is, the moment came shortly after lawyers from both sides were brought back into the process at an undisclosed location in the Washington, D.C., area. As tensions rose and anger grew, two sources said NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith instructed his lawyers to "stand down."

Mark my words, the lawyers will screw this up before it is aover because all they care about is walking away at the end thinking they "won." The collateral damage means nothing to them.

feltdizz

06-15-2011, 02:58 PM

how do you stand down? :D

SteelBucks

06-15-2011, 05:36 PM

TIOPS is reporting that a Steelers source believes that a deal will be reached around July 4th. Take it with a grain of salt however...TIOPS seems to be more rumor than fact.

On a side note, they also believe that our top three CB's in camp will be McFadden, Gay and Chris Carr. :shock:

hawaiiansteel

06-16-2011, 12:32 AM

On a side note, they also believe that our top three CB's in camp will be McFadden, Gay and Chris Carr. :shock:

as long as Anthony Madison is our 4th CB we'll be fine... :moon

Djfan

06-16-2011, 12:48 AM

But, recent events point to us having football, complete with training camps, free agency, a supplemental draft and a complete preseason. If that's the case, it leaves us all to figure out for ourselves how we'll look at the NFL from now on. No harm, no foul? Forget everything and just move on? Or will you still be harboring some bitterness?

Meanwhile, the defenders are still treated like criminals. Ill be harboring bitterness, barely restraining it until the first Steeler gets ejected or fined over the new rule enforcements. That is where my true resentment lies.

Me too, DOS. I have to admit that I am really not looking forward to this season. I can just see it coming down the pipe that the Steelers are going to have their defensive legacy thrown under the Goodell bus.

I swear if it happens like I think, I may be done with the NFL.

Oviedo

06-16-2011, 08:09 AM

On a side note, they also believe that our top three CB's in camp will be McFadden, Gay and Chris Carr. :shock:

as long as Anthony Madison is our 4th CB we'll be fine... :moon

Didn't know the defense has a position called "comic relief." Madison is the one player I want most not to see on the roster.

BradshawsHairdresser

06-16-2011, 03:24 PM

Madison will likely be gone before the season begins. We have the talent to replace him. However, he has been a significant contributor on ST's...I'm grateful he was here to help shore up those units.

Pash told Sirius NFL Radio that one aspect of the offer included paying players an average of 90 percent of the salary cap spent in cash over a three-year span.

“For the first time, we were going to have a cash minimum as opposed to just a cap minimum,” Pash said. “You understand what the difference means and of course so did the union, which is why they pushed for that. The 90 percent was an agreed upon figure and because of the way teams change over time, we all thought that you couldn’t do it year-by-year so we were doing it at on a three-year basis to allow for the fact that teams go through cycles. Everyone on both sides thought that was a sensible compromise. It would have done a lot.”

In the past, teams weren't mandated to spend a minimum amount of cash, just using a specific amount of the salary cap that also included dead money from old deals still on the books.

I guess this means that the salary floor will be closer to the ceiling (perhaps the NFL is cutting corners by moving the league offices to floor seven-and-a-half in the Merton-Flemmer building).

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hawaiiansteel

06-17-2011, 12:48 PM

What can go wrong in CBA talks? Plenty

By Associated Press
Thursday, June 16, 2011

NEW YORK — Dark clouds no longer dominate the NFL horizon. Rays of sunshine have broken through as owners and players make progress in labor talks.

So what could cause rain to fall, washing away the chance of a deal?

Plenty.

"Much can still go wrong — every negotiating session is unique to itself," says Don Yee, who represents Tom Brady and is an adjunct law professor at Southern California. "Just because one day was good doesn't mean the next day will be, too."

How good those days have been also is relative. Although meetings in Chicago, New York and, most recently in Maryland have been productive, they have not created enough common ground for either side to declare a breakthrough is imminent. The owners have their own meetings in Chicago on Tuesday, with a possibility they will stick around through Wednesday to discuss the many topics being negotiated, from the percentage of total revenues offered the players to a rookie wage scale to parameters for free agency.

There's even a chance a framework for a new collective bargaining agreement could be presented to them.

Yet it all could come crashing down in this fourth month of the lockout.

"More than the business points, two things will impact the final outcome: the ability of the participants to moderate their egos, and the actual drafting of specific language to fit the concepts being discussed," Yee said. "The language of the last CBA gave rise to many grievances, which was fairly predictable as every lawyer tries to inject an edge for their client in the language. This will be a significant area of contention."

Also potentially contentious is the ownership dynamic currently in place. The league wisely has included such hard-liners as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Panthers owner Jerry Richardson in all significant negotiations, along with moderates — and dealmakers — John Mara of the Giants and Robert Kraft of the Patriots. But there's a wide split in team values and opportunities for outside income. Small-market owners such as Buffalo's Ralph Wilson, Jacksonville's Wayne Weaver and Cincinnati's Mike Brown won't approve any deal that doesn't protect their interests.

A new CBA will require 24 of the 32 owners voting yes, and while Mara, Kraft, Art Rooney and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell can be very persuasive, there surely are more than eight owners who feel burned by the 2006 agreement. The owners opted out of that CBA in 2008.

There's also the potential for a power play by one side or the other.

"A deal is far from over and until there is agreement on everything there is agreement on nothing," says Marc Ganis, president of Chicago-based sports business consulting firm Sportscorp Ltd., and a keen observer of the league's business side, "the greatest risk to a deal getting done and playing the entire 2011 season is if one party or the other grossly overplays their hand. It's possible, more from the players' side because there has been more emotion, pride and hyperbole during this process from their side. But the owners could also overplay their hand."

Also worth considering: How can each side come out a winner? That was one of the beauties of the relationship between the late Gene Upshaw when he ran the NFLPA and then-Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Initially, at least, both the owners and the players had elements they could brag about in the latest CBA.

But what if one side gets greedy?

"Nibbling," Pittsburgh-based attorney and player agent Ralph Cindrich, who has been through every NFL labor dispute, calls it. "Reaching an agreement and then adding one more thing. In my view, this is unethical when it occurs. Careful negotiators close it completely and allow nothing in from the point of understanding."

These negotiations have gotten very contentious, particularly leading to the March 12 lockout. Can all that rhetoric be forgotten?

"Pride/competitiveness/hyperbole, this is my great concern," Ganis says. "That a reasonable deal is not accepted because of prior public statements made. What is it DeMaurice Smith and others need to offset comments like 'the worst deal in the history of sports?"'

Also worth wondering about: How much sway do the lawyers have? At one point, they seemingly convinced each side it can win in court. Then both the owners and players got a shot of reality from federal appeals court Judge Kermit Bye, who advised them to work out their differences, saying the court's decision likely will be "something both sides aren't going to like."

Cindrich notes that timing is critical.

"Coming down to a more realistic position earlier than later gets you a better contract," Cindrich says.

It's already later, but hardly too late — unless talks collapse.

"I'm not sure if there's a certain reason why we're at the table and negotiations are real and progressing," says Saints player rep Jon Stinchcomb, "but as a player we're encouraged by that. We want to get back to work. We want a deal that both sides are comfortable with.

"It's going to take some compromise, but we're OK with that. We just need to sit down and hammer it out and get back to work."

Will there be a Chicago 9 to emerge next Tuesday and Wednesday from among the NFL owners?

If there are nine – the total number of owners out of 32 needed to block the approval of a deal with the players and keep the lockout going – what will it mean to the short-term future of the 2011 NFL season? Just as important, what could such a snag mean to the long-term prospects of Roger Goodell as the league’s commissioner and several others in the league office?

“There’s a lot on the line [next] week,” one owner said Friday. “I don’t envy Roger’s position because he has to make a lot of people happy. I think there’s enough common sense out there that we’ll get something done, but there are also some [owners] who still want to fight.”

That desire to fight may exist even though two sources familiar with the circumstances – one on the players’ side – indicated earlier in the week that the players are willing to give owners upwards of nearly 60 percent of the “true up” money over the next three to four years. In other words, if the owners were to grow the business by $1 billion above projections in a given a year (a huge but not impossible gain), the owners could get nearly $600 million of that additional money.

The deal is expected to be vastly more complicated than that, featuring a reset of the percentages after a three- or four-year period. But the basic idea is that players have come a long way from the simple 50-50 split they offered in March.

The problem is that ever since the owners opted out of the collective bargaining agreement in 2008, there has been a strong subset of them who have pushed to fight the now decertified NFL Players Association for significant rollbacks in the portion of money going to players. Initially, this was not just a slight adjustment this group was seeking. It was an attempt to turn back the clock to pre-2006, when players shared in only a part of total football revenue, not all of it. They didn’t want just a chunk of money back; they wanted a $1 billion boulder right off the top to go with the other $1 billion they were already getting.

That was $2 billion going straight into the owners’ pockets out of a little more than $9 billion the league currently makes. When that idea crumbled, the owners countered with a system that didn’t account for potentially huge increases in revenue that are expected to occur when the television contracts, which expire following the 2013 season, are renegotiated. That’s when the players, frustrated with the perceived shell game and lack of respect that went with it, walked away from the negotiations in March, decertified as a union and filed a lawsuit.

Some in the ownership group saw that as a positive in the big picture because it meant that the hardliners – generally believed to include the likes of Jerry Richardson (Carolina Panthers), Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys), Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals), Dan Snyder (Washington Redskins) and Ralph Wilson (Buffalo Bills) – would have to back off because their power play failed.

Now, perceived moderates such as John Mara (New York Giants), Clark Hunt (Kansas City Chiefs), Bob Kraft (New England Patriots) and Dean Spanos (San Diego Chargers) have become the lead negotiators for the owners. Richardson has also been part of the process and some believe he has mellowed somewhat the past two months, particularly after his embarrassing treatment of players such as Peyton Manning(notes) became public. Likewise, Kraft was once seen as a hardliner early in the process, but has become much more of a peacemaker since late last season, repeatedly saying that a deal could be made, particularly if the lawyers were left out of the process.

Or as Mara said during the meeting of owners in Indianapolis last month, the best way to a long-term labor peace was a fair deal.

“If it’s not fair, all that means is that you’re back at the table faster,” Mara said.

The question is whether enough other owners agree with Mara’s sentiment. When the league gathers in Chicago next week, Goodell and other members of the negotiating team will update the other owners on the state of the negotiations. Goodell is expected to explain what the split of the money will be under a new deal and will recommend that the owners do the deal, although there is not expected to be a formal vote.

Another tricky element to all of this is that the vast majority of owners have little knowledge of what the deal is right now. Because Judge Arthur Boylan, who has been mediating the sessions, has requested that both sides keep the talks as confidential as possible, very few owners outside the negotiating team are believed to know the specifics.

That has been good because it has allowed for more progress. It’s bad because not knowing leads to anxiety and frustration.

“Your first reaction to most deals is to poke holes in it. It’s human nature,” a second unnamed owner said. “You always want the perfect deal, everything to go your way, and you have to think it through to figure out what’s acceptable. In this case, you have to multiply that process by 32 … when we sit down and look over this deal, I’m curious how the room is going to react. We’re at a critical stage.”

It’s critical on multiple levels.

First, and most immediate, there’s a time crunch to get the season started. Many executives in the league office and with different teams believe that free agency must begin by July 15 at the latest in order to start training camp on time and have a full preseason. Otherwise, the league starts to lose some of the reported $700 million-$1 billion that’s tied up in training camp and the preseason.

Second, if a deal isn’t reached now and the owners reject the work that has been done with the players, this could turn into a long fight that goes until at least September and could cause significant backlash to the league. In January, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King stated that a group of owners were willing to lose an entire season in order to get a better deal with the players. While that sounds brave, it may be tactical suicide depending on how the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals rules on the league’s appeal to maintain a lockout.

While it’s widely believed that the three-judge panel will rule in favor of the league’s ability to lock out the players for the time being, it’s also believed that the league will lose that power at some point. Specifically, the judges sounded as if they would allow the players to return to court in September, when the previous collective bargaining agreement allowed them the freedom to decertify and, therefore, file an antitrust lawsuit.

At that point, the league could be brought to its knees because it could lose the ability to lock out the players. In other words, the league is doing OK in court right now, but eventually there aren’t enough fingers to put in the dam. At that point, the players could end up with the kind of power akin to what their brethren in the NBA and major league baseball have gotten over the years.

Third, all of this could reflect poorly on Goodell, who has already taken his fair share of shots through this process. Over the first four years of his tenure as commissioner, Goodell was seen as a powerful force, coming up with new ways to make money for owners and being tough on players with his discipline.

However, the negotiations with the trade association have exposed Goodell as weak in the eyes of many people, particularly players. From Derrick Mason(notes) to Chester Pitts(notes) to getting booed by fans at the NFL draft in April, Goodell has been openly criticized on numerous fronts. For instance, there was a curious reaction on the morning of March 11, the day that talks broke down with players. King wrote that Goodell had been given approval by the owners the previous night to cut the best deal he could get.

Rather than seeing that as proof of Goodell’s power, many people around the league, in the media and, most importantly, among the players wondered why Goodell didn’t have that power before.

Or as the aforementioned source on the player’s side said, rhetorically: “If he couldn’t cut a deal before, why were we talking to him?”

That is a fascinating question that gets to the heart of how little the owners trust the man they elected to follow Paul Tagliabue, the guy who has taken much of the blame for the 2006 deal that owners quickly came to hate. From there, there is a trickle-down effect to people such as NFL vice president and general counsel Jeff Pash.

Could Goodell be in trouble if he can’t keep the hardliners in line and this negotiation blows up?

“I hope not, but it’s a really good question,” the first unnamed owner said.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s annual football camp opens today. According to Mike Prisuta of WDVE, Roethlisberger said that the team’s offensive players held lockout workouts during the offseason.

As far as we can tell, it’s the first acknowledgement that the Steelers players engaged in any type of organized practices during the lockout.

Though it remains to be seen whether the lockout workouts will have any value, it’s better than doing nothing. Or, at a minimum, it’s not worse than doing nothing.

I like it... I really like how our team operates. I wonder if there was a bunch of reporters trying to watch them practice.

In Charlotte the sports radio guys were going nuts because the players wouldn't talk to reporters about their workouts. It's funny because the radio guys hate the Cam Newton pick but they now have an interest in the team.

birtikidis

06-21-2011, 03:35 PM

ESPN was reporting that Goddell unveiled a proposal where the players get 48% of the revenue (down from 60%) but the owners give up the 1billion off the top. we'll see how they take that... it seems like a pretty good offer.

Oviedo

06-21-2011, 03:47 PM

ESPN was reporting that Goddell unveiled a proposal where the players get 48% of the revenue (down from 60%) but the owners give up the 1billion off the top. we'll see how they take that... it seems like a pretty good offer.

Here is what has been "leaked." I think the definition of "credits" for stadiums and the like and the forfeiture of the $1B off the top will cause some angst among some owners. However, if the revenue growth projections are even close to being acurate this whole thing is obscene in the amount of money the NFL is generating.

Proposed CBA Details
Details of a proposed collective bargaining agreement being pitched to NFL owners Tuesday, according to sources:

• Players get 48 percent of "all revenue," without extra $1-billion-plus off top that previously had been requested by owners.

• Players' share will never dip below 46.5 percent, under new formula being negotiated.

• Teams required to spend close to 100 percent of the salary cap.

• Rookie wage scale part of deal but still being "tweaked."

• Four years needed for unrestricted free-agent status. Certain tags will be retained, but still being discussed.

• 18-game regular season designated only as negotiable item and at no point is mandated in deal.

• New 16-game Thursday night TV package beginning in 2012.

• Owners still will get some expense credits that will allow funding for new stadiums.

• Retirees to benefit from improved health care, pension benefits as revenue projected to double to $18 million by 2016.

I also love the hypocisy of the "labor brotherhood" not hesitating for a second to throw the future members (rookies) of the "labor brotherhood" under the bus to get a sweeter deal for themselves. Don't think they won't hesitate to throw the Vets under the bus next if it gets a deal done.

hawaiiansteel

06-22-2011, 02:12 AM

Steelers players remain hopeful on labor deal

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

http://photos.triblive.com/photos/PITT/1272498/36432502E.jpg

As NFL owners met for a second day Tuesday in Chicago, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he is hopeful that a new labor deal will be reached in time for players to report to training camp at the end of July.

"I feel like we'll get it done," Roethlisberger said during the two-day youth football camp he hosted at Seneca Valley High School. "The professionals on both sides will get it done."

The players have been locked out by the owners for all but a couple of days since negotiations on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement broke down March 11. The sides appear to be making progress toward ending the NFL's first work stoppage since 1987.

Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch is a member of the NFL Players' Association executive committee, and he has been keeping his teammates updated on the labor situation.

"You hear so many 'sources say this,' 'sources say that,' so you don't really know unless you're in there hearing things," Roethlisberger said. "We just have to listen to Charlie, what he tells us and just kind of go forth from there. I'm sure both sides will find a way to get it done."

The Steelers players have worked out on their own, and Roethlisberger said the offense has gathered to replicate what it would do during the offseason practices that were lost because of the lockout.

Defensive end Brett Keisel said he has used the downtime to get extra rest following a season that ran through January.

"I'm not going to lie. It's been nice being able to wake up every day and just relax with the kids and go work out and things like that," Keisel said. "We're used to, at this point, working a little bit so it will be nice when they get this thing done, hopefully sooner rather than later and we can get back to doing what we do. It's getting to the point now where we're ready to get back to work."

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Now that NFL owners appear to have cleared a significant hurdle on the way to labor peace with the players, the question for the league is simple: How fast can they get the league year started?

The short answer is sometime on or just before July 15. By that point, the league may be reopen for business on a permanent basis, meaning free agents could get signed and draft picks could start to meet with coaches for the first time in hopes of catching up as much as possible by the start of training camp.

“That kind of timeline is altogether possible,” a source on the owners’ side said Tuesday after the owners spent a little less than six hours hearing from Commissioner Roger Goodell about the state of the collective bargaining agreement talks with the players. Just as important, the owners were given a chance to object to the basic concepts put before them. The league went so far as to give the owners an extra day to discuss the negotiations.

In the end, the meeting became a day trip.

While Goodell cautioned reporters not to read too much into that, it was taken as a good sign by most. Furthermore, the wide grin on New York Giants owner John Mara’s face was a pretty good tell about the state of the talks. In recent months, Mara’s face has been etched with a dour look, such as in March when talks between the owners and the players broke down, and the CBA expired.

Mara repeatedly refused to comment on the mediations and the meeting of the owners, saying that he and the rest of the owners were under court order not to say anything. Goodell was nearly as hard to pin down, but part of that was based on the fact that the players have to go through the same process. If the owners start to present too strong a front, it could be taken as presumptuous by players. At this point, any sense of overconfidence could throw the process in reverse.

“We have a very strong view of the priorities … ownership is unified,” Goodell said.

Overall, the two sides have a preliminary agreement that all money will be split by a simple division, the players getting 48 percent and the owners getting 52 percent. While the players have technically taken a cut in their overall share of the revenue, the owners have agreed to guarantees that will essentially assure that teams will spend a higher minimum amount of money (90 percent of the salary cap) each year.

Additionally, retired NFL player Carl Eller met with four owners Tuesday morning to get assurances that the group of retirees he represents will get better health and disability benefits. Although Eller’s suit was grouped with the Brady et al v. NFL case, Eller’s group still has a say over the settlement and, ultimately, the eventual new collective bargaining agreement.

“The purpose of the meeting on Tuesday was to make clear that the bicycle has to turn into a tricycle,” said attorney Michael Hausfeld, who is representing Eller in his case. “The retirees are going to have a say in the process once this is over.”

While that could throw a wrench in the process, the source on the owners’ side and two others indicated that getting past the owners on Tuesday was the major obstacle. On Wednesday, the players will hold their own meeting in Boston and then are expected to meet with owners later in the day and again Thursday to continue hammering out the deal.

“At this point, you could probably have the terms drawn up by Friday if you wanted to really hurry the process, but two weeks is probably more realistic,” said the source on the owners’ side. “Two weeks for the paperwork is pretty reasonable.”

There are other steps along the way. For instance, all of the parties involved will have to meet with Minnesota District Judge Susan Richard Nelson to seek preliminary settlement of the class-action lawsuits brought by current players such as Tom Brady(notes), Drew Brees(notes) and Peyton Manning(notes) and former players such as Eller. After that, the league will have the NFL Players Association recertify as a union and the owners will have to reconvene to give the agreement final approval. Given all those steps, the July 15 date starts to look more and more realistic.

“You’d like it to be as early as possible,” one team executive said. “Like I said before, I’d like to get started this week, but we know that’s not happening. The way everybody seems to be talking, mid-July is what we’re all hoping for.”

What that means is free agency figures to be fast and furious. The basic rules of free agency aren’t expected to change, meaning that players with at least four years of experience who are not currently under contract will become unrestricted free agents.

That means players such as Nnamdi Asomugha(notes), Antonio Cromartie(notes), Santonio Holmes(notes) and DeAngelo Williams(notes) will head one of the deepest classes of free agents in NFL history. The depth of free agency is primarily because so many players from 2010 weren’t allowed to hit the market when the rules changed, requiring players to have at least six years of service before becoming unrestricted free agents.

While the depth of this free-agent class is subject to debate, the important part is that free agency may soon start, replacing the boring details of a labor dispute.

hawaiiansteel

07-06-2011, 04:54 PM

Steelers meeting about training camp

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, July 6, 2011

The Steelers, hopeful that a labor deal will be reached in the coming weeks, are holding an organization-wide meeting today to discuss training camp at St Vincent College.

The Steelers are planning on having camp at St. Vincent for a 46th consecutive season but that streak is in jeopardy because of the NFL lockout.

The owners and players have reportedly made significant progress toward a new collective bargaining agreement. That is one reason why the Steelers have not set a deadline for informing St. Vincent officials whether they are coming for camp in Latrobe at the end of the month.

The Steelers, under past league rules, would have been eligible to report to camp July 28. That is 15 days before their preseason opener, which is scheduled for Aug. 12 at Washington.

There is not much wriggle room when it comes to Steelers` training camp — at least one away from the team`s South Side practice facility.

St. Vincent starts preparing for the arrival of students after the Steelers return to Pittsburgh for preseason practice, leaving the school a tight window for which to stage training camp.

The Steelers, under past league rules, would have been eligible to report to camp July 28.

Isn't Ben getting married on July 26th? Short honeymoon or maybe they get the bridal suite at St Vincents :wink:

hawaiiansteel

07-18-2011, 04:23 PM

Updated: July 18, 2011

Sides hope to roll cases into 1 accord

ESPN.com news services

The sides in the NFL's labor dispute are amenable to rolling the remaining issues that are most problematic -- the settlement of the Brady vs. NFL antitrust lawsuit and the television "lockout insurance" damages case -- into a global settlement, sources familiar with the talks told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

A global settlement would mean that those two cases, along with the retired players' lawsuit and all other legal issues, would be dropped if the players ratify a new collective bargaining agreement, which is expected to cover the next 10 seasons. That would be the quickest way to get the lockout lifted.

If the remaining legal issues are not rolled into a global settlement, it would be a very bad sign, potentially even stopping progress.

Lawyers from both sides are meeting in New York on Monday to work on the unresolved issues.

The NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams Monday instructing key executives to attend Thursday's owners meeting in Atlanta, sources told Schefter. Each team will have two representatives (owner and one executive) in the room to vote on a CBA, if one is agreed to by players and owners. However, each team also will bring other front office personnel to the meeting to learn about the rules of a potential new CBA.

If the owners ratify a new CBA Thursday, players can begin arriving at facilities on Friday and team activities can begin as early as Monday, while free agency is going on.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan joined the negotiators in New York on Monday afternoon. Before departing for an overseas vacation on July 9, Boylan ordered a mediation session in Minneapolis on Tuesday. It had appeared that the mediation session would be canceled after the progress made in New York on Thursday and Friday, but sources say the hope is that mediation will nudge the two sides to a final agreement in time for the players to vote to recertify as a union and approve an agreement Wednesday.

According to sources, the two sides also could use Wednesday morning to finish their mediated negotiation session, if necessary.

The limit of franchise tags on the 10 named plaintiffs in the Brady antitrust lawsuit could be the anchor to a settlement to that case. That would result in named plaintiffs such as Drew Brees, Logan Mankins, Peyton Manning and Vincent Jackson not being subject to any free agent restrictions in 2012 if their respective teams do not sign them to long-term contracts.

U.S. District Judge David Doty's ruled in March that owners did not act in the best interests of players as directed by the previous CBA in creating "lockout insurance." The players have asked Doty to place $4 billion in escrow until the lockout is resolved but Doty has not ruled. It is possible the players will use this leverage to gain the restoration of $320 million in lost benefits from 2010, which is currently an unresolved issue among the sides.

Under a ratified agreement, teams would have an exclusive 72-hour window to negotiate contracts with their own free agents Friday before those players hit the open market at the start of league-wide free agency on July 25.

Also Monday, lawyers for NFL players said they want to file material under seal in response to a complaint by retired players who joined them in their antitrust lawsuit against the league.

Attorney Barbara Berens wrote Monday to U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeanne Graham requesting she grant the confidential material, because it's related to talks ongoing between NFL owners and current players to end the lockout.

The retired players filed a lawsuit two weeks ago against both the current players and the league, alleging the retirees were cut out of the mediation, violating a court order. The retired players have a hearing on their complaint scheduled before Graham on Aug. 8.

U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson combined the cases of the current and former players in April.

Adam Schefter is ESPN's NFL Insider. Chris Mortensen is ESPN's senior NFL analyst. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

As the NFL and NFLPA* continue to march toward an apparent deal to end the lockout, more information is coming out about what they’ve agreed to do for the retired players, who have consistently insisted that their needs have to be considered as part of any deal.

According to multiple reports, the proposed new Collective Bargaining Agreement includes $1 billion in new benefits for retired players over the life of the 10-year deal.

More than $600 million will be put into the “Legacy Fund” for retired players over the next 10 years.

We’ll be interested in hearing how retired players react to the new CBA, which from all indications will be ratified on Thursday. On first blush, it sounds like a good deal for them.

I bet a lot of players will retire early now, except those that truly love the game.

Sugar

07-18-2011, 08:17 PM

So this lockout has been "almost" over for over a month. :Blah

hawaiiansteel

07-21-2011, 03:36 AM

So this lockout has been "almost" over for over a month. :Blah

Chester Pitts says the lockout won’t end for “two full weeks”

Posted by Mike Florio on July 21, 2011

We’re gonna need more ice for all of this champagne.

At a time when it has been widely believed that the NFLPA* and the NFL will approve the proposed labor deal and open the doors for free agency and training camps next week, Seahawks guard Chester Pitts told Tony Bruno of FOX Sports Radio that it will take “two full weeks” to get the situation resolved.

Pitts is the Seahawks’ player representative, and he attended Wednesday’s meetings in Washington, D.C. So he’s privy to what’s going on behind closed doors.

Frankly, we don’t know what to make of any of it. Our gut feeling is that the players are dragging their feet in order to get something else from the owners, even if both the players and the owners will lose roughly $100 million each for every week of the preseason that is lost.

Jim Trotter of SI.com reported on Wednesday that the players’ request for $320 million in lost benefits during the uncapped year of 2010 remains an issue, even though that was a wrinkle of the prior CBA, which when viewed from start to finish was favorable to the players. And as Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com reported on Wednesday night, Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson and Patriots guard Logan Mankins still want $10 million each to put their signatures on the settlement papers of the Brady antitrust class action.

We think everything can get wrapped up quickly if/when the two sides decide to wrap it all up. For now, it looks like the players will be deliberately dragging their feet in the hopes of extracting a few final concessions from the owners.

Again, the two sides have resolved much thornier issues. It should be easy to resolve these remaining matters, if NFLPA* executive director DeMaurce Smith can display true leadership to his players — and if Smith can continue to keep a leash on NFLPA* lawyer Jeffrey Kessler, who possibly is stirring the “let’s get paid more money” pot.

The owners make money during the lockout since they didn't have to pay OTA's or bonuses to players?

Now that the preseason is getting close it's the Owners who will lose a ton since they don't have to share revenue from the 2 preseason games.

It's posturing by the players but it's a good strategy IMO. Owners don't want to miss out on that preseason money.

Oviedo

07-21-2011, 09:06 AM

The owners make money during the lockout since they didn't have to pay OTA's or bonuses to players?

Now that the preseason is getting close it's the Owners who will lose a ton since they don't have to share revenue from the 2 preseason games.

It's posturing by the players but it's a good strategy IMO. Owners don't want to miss out on that preseason money.

To what end? Delays accomplish nothing now except make it more difficult for teams and players to prepare for the season.

JUST-PLAIN-NASTY

07-21-2011, 01:11 PM

Posturing for last minute throw ins. The owners found out recently that the players were insured in case there was no 2011 season. The deal is nearing a close and like one poster said, the owners are at the biggest risk now. The owners may have to give up a little something extra to get it done but they could be pressured more now. It is all on the table and its down to "peas or carrots". If the players want corn...They will end up getting it. Just get it to the vote...I want some football!!!!!

feltdizz

07-21-2011, 03:06 PM

The owners make money during the lockout since they didn't have to pay OTA's or bonuses to players?

Now that the preseason is getting close it's the Owners who will lose a ton since they don't have to share revenue from the 2 preseason games.

It's posturing by the players but it's a good strategy IMO. Owners don't want to miss out on that preseason money.

To what end? Delays accomplish nothing now except make it more difficult for teams and players to prepare for the season.

preparing for the season is of no concern or they wouldn't have locked the players out to begin with...

Owners want the preseason gate because they don't have to share it... delaying puts the preseason in limbo and the owners will probably cave on a few minor things to make sure they get that money.

hawaiiansteel

07-22-2011, 03:23 AM

Mort: Players vote expected on Friday

Posted by Mike Florio on July 22, 2011

Despite the fact that Bills safety and NFLPA* representative George Wilson called reports that the players will vote Friday on the proposed, pre-approved labor deal untrue, ESPN’s Chris Mortensen (or, as Donte’ Stallworth referred to him during an ESPN phoner, “Morten Andersen”) reports that the players are indeed expected to vote on the proposal Friday.

“All in all, despite the games that were played by the NFL, things look much more optimistic,” a source in player leadership told Mortensen.

That meshes with something we were told in the immediate wake of what appeared to be the ultimate switch-and-bait by the NFL, with the owners supposedly changing up some terms and then hoping the players would feel pressured to pounce. Despite the move, optimism remains in place within NFLPA* leadership that a deal could be accomplished.

Per Mortensen, the players are expected to evaluate so-called “finishing points,” fancy talk for “the last stuff we don’t agree about yet.”

Mort also echoes the notion that tension remains not regarding whether the NFLPA* will recertify as a union, but how that will happen. Even if the process of obtaining signatures can, in theory, be done electronically, the players want to do it their way. Specifically, they want players to sign cards when they show up at team facilities, a fairly simple process that could get the task completed in a day or two after the gates open again. Though the motivation for the players’ insistence to do it this way isn’t clear, the fact remains that the players want to do it this way — and that the league has no real reason to fight the NFLPA* on this point.

So the players can approve the settlement on Friday, the players can show up Saturday and sign their union cards, the ratification can be finalized by Tuesday, and all free-agency hell can break loose on Wednesday.

Thursday was a big day. Friday could be an even bigger day. We hope you’ll stick with us from the moment you show up for work, until the moment you leave. And maybe even after that, if you’re willing to give up some of your non-work time for your non-work Internet habit.

The original article that started this thread is a month and a half old..... :roll:

GET IT DONE ALREADY!!!!!!!

hawaiiansteel

07-25-2011, 02:02 AM

Latest Brees e-mail suggests full free agency could start Tuesday

Posted by Mike Florio on July 25, 2011

Saints quarterback Drew Brees has spent plenty of time composing e-mails to teammates of late. His most recent message, a copy of which we have obtained, suggests that full free agency could open as soon as Tuesday.

Here’s the full text of the message.

“As has been the case with this entire process, it looks like the details and schedule has changed for training camp and free agency,” Brees writes. “This is the latest although I cannot confirm anything at this point. I just want to make you aware as to what is being discussed so nothing catches you by surprise.

“Free Agency - It now looks like free agency will begin at noon on Tuesday and it will be open free agency. There will be no 3 day grace period for teams to sign their own players. It will be open for anyone to sign anywhere.

“Training Camp - It looks like the NFL is trying to force teams into camp on time. This would move us to a report date of Thursday, July 28. We would have physicals, conditioning, and meetings on this day. The day before would be a travel day and the hotel would be open that night for guys to check in as well as physicals but nothing mandatory until Thursday.

“I will keep you updated with the latest information. Unfortunately, it tends to change very quickly. Just stay prepared for anything.”

That last message applies to all of us, really. As the craziest week in recent memory comes to a conclusion, an even crazier week could be starting.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees has spent plenty of time composing e-mails to teammates of late. His most recent message, a copy of which we have obtained, suggests that full free agency could open as soon as Tuesday.

Here’s the full text of the message.

“As has been the case with this entire process, it looks like the details and schedule has changed for training camp and free agency,” Brees writes. “This is the latest although I cannot confirm anything at this point. I just want to make you aware as to what is being discussed so nothing catches you by surprise.

“Free Agency - It now looks like free agency will begin at noon on Tuesday and it will be open free agency. There will be no 3 day grace period for teams to sign their own players. It will be open for anyone to sign anywhere.

“Training Camp - It looks like the NFL is trying to force teams into camp on time. This would move us to a report date of Thursday, July 28. We would have physicals, conditioning, and meetings on this day. The day before would be a travel day and the hotel would be open that night for guys to check in as well as physicals but nothing mandatory until Thursday.

“I will keep you updated with the latest information. Unfortunately, it tends to change very quickly. Just stay prepared for anything.”

That last message applies to all of us, really. As the craziest week in recent memory comes to a conclusion, an even crazier week could be starting.

Didn't know Brees was running the players "whatever they call themselves" now

MadSteel

07-25-2011, 09:33 AM

Well, it looks like Ike will be entertaining offers from other teams while we try to get him at a discount. Ike has played his last down as a Steeler because you know we wont come close to the ridiculous offers he is about to get.

RuthlessBurgher

07-25-2011, 10:12 AM

Latest Brees e-mail suggests full free agency could start Tuesday

Posted by Mike Florio on July 25, 2011

Saints quarterback Drew Brees has spent plenty of time composing e-mails to teammates of late. His most recent message, a copy of which we have obtained, suggests that full free agency could open as soon as Tuesday.

Here’s the full text of the message.

“As has been the case with this entire process, it looks like the details and schedule has changed for training camp and free agency,” Brees writes. “This is the latest although I cannot confirm anything at this point. I just want to make you aware as to what is being discussed so nothing catches you by surprise.

“Free Agency - It now looks like free agency will begin at noon on Tuesday and it will be open free agency. There will be no 3 day grace period for teams to sign their own players. It will be open for anyone to sign anywhere.

“Training Camp - It looks like the NFL is trying to force teams into camp on time. This would move us to a report date of Thursday, July 28. We would have physicals, conditioning, and meetings on this day. The day before would be a travel day and the hotel would be open that night for guys to check in as well as physicals but nothing mandatory until Thursday.

“I will keep you updated with the latest information. Unfortunately, it tends to change very quickly. Just stay prepared for anything.”

That last message applies to all of us, really. As the craziest week in recent memory comes to a conclusion, an even crazier week could be starting.

Didn't know Brees was running the players "whatever they call themselves" now

What? He's the player rep for the Saints, so he e-mailed his Saints teammates to keep them up to date about what he's been hearing. How is this a problem?

feltdizz

07-25-2011, 11:02 AM

Ovie is blinded by outrage.... :D

D. Smith does NOT want to see Ovie in a dark alley....

RuthlessBurgher

07-25-2011, 12:27 PM

Ovie is blinded by outrage.... :D

D. Smith does NOT want to see Ovie in a dark alley....

The lockout could have been over in a day if we sent Oviedo and James Harrison to take out DeMaurice Smith and Roger Goodell, respectively. :wink:

insanesteelersfan

07-25-2011, 12:44 PM

If Casey Hampton has to come in on the fly, and immediately take that dreaded " Run Test "...Casey very well could DIE! :wft I know some players are very good at conditioning on their own. But for some others, they NEED the off-season workouts at the facility to FORCE them to show up, and get some exercise in. With no off-season workouts this off-season, you KNOW Casey is gonna report to camp at least at 4 1/2 Bills ! :lol:

WASHINGTON (AP)—NFL owners and players agreed early Monday to the terms of a deal to end the lockout, and players were expected to begin their voting process later in the day, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the process was supposed to remain secret and no formal announcement had been made.

Members of the NFL Players Association’s executive committee met at the group’s headquarters in Washington and were presented with the finalized agreement. NFLPA president Kevin Mawae(notes) arrived shortly after 9:30 a.m., and a conference call for player leadership began at about 11 a.m.

Owners overwhelmingly approved a proposal last week, but some unresolved issues still needed to be reviewed to satisfy players; the owners do not need to vote again.

The sides worked through the weekend and wrapped up the details Monday morning on a final pact that is for 10 years, without an opt-out clause, one of the people told the AP.

Owners decided in 2008 to opt out of the league’s old labor contract, which expired this March. That’s when the owners locked out the players, creating the NFL’s first work stoppage since 1987.

“We have every reason to believe it’s going to be a good day,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email to the AP on Monday.

If players sign off on the agreement, a tentative timeline would allow NFL clubs to start signing 2011 draft picks and rookie free agents on Tuesday. Conversations with veteran free agents also could start Tuesday, and signings could begin Friday.

Under that schedule, training camps would open for 10 of the 32 teams on Wednesday, 10 teams on Thursday, another 10 teams on Friday, and the last two teams on Sunday.

Should the players’ executive committee vote to accept the deal, it then would go to the 32 team representatives to approve, perhaps later Monday. The 10 named plaintiffs in the players’ lawsuit against the league—including Tom Brady(notes), Peyton Manning(notes) and Drew Brees(notes)—must officially inform the court in Minneapolis of their approval, too.

Even after that, while training camps would be opened, a formal collective bargaining agreement can’t be fully set in place until the NFLPA re-establishes itself as a union. The NFLPA said it was rejecting its union status in March and becoming a trade association; that allowed the players to file their antitrust suit.

All 1,900 players will need to vote to OK re-forming the union even as the sides put the finishing touches on a deal. Legal protections will be put in place so the NFLPA can start negotiating such items as the league’s personal conduct policy and drug testing as soon as Monday.

The major economic framework for the deal was worked out more than a week ago.

That included how the more than $9 billion in annual league revenues will be divided (about 53 percent to owners and 47 percent to players over the next decade; the old CBA resulted in nearly a 50-50 split); a per-club cap of about $120 million for salary and bonuses in 2011—and at least that in 2012 and 2013 — plus about $22 million for benefits; a salary system to rein in spending on first-round draft picks; and unrestricted free agency for most players after four seasons.

AP Sports Writers Joseph White in Washington, Jon Krawczynski in Minneapolis, Chris Duncan in Houston, and Richard Rosenblatt in New York contributed to this report.

Oviedo

07-25-2011, 01:30 PM

If Casey Hampton has to come in on the fly, and immediately take that dreaded " Run Test "...Casey very well could DIE! :wft I know some players are very good at conditioning on their own. But for some others, they NEED the off-season workouts at the facility to FORCE them to show up, and get some exercise in. With no off-season workouts this off-season, you KNOW Casey is gonna report to camp at least at 4 1/2 Bills ! :lol:

I hope the steelers have a cardiologist handy!

My concern about Casey is that the only "on the fly" he will be doing is flying in the back of an Air Force cargo plane to get here.

Casey could be huge with no supervision over the past 5 months.

RuthlessBurgher

07-25-2011, 01:58 PM

If Casey Hampton has to come in on the fly, and immediately take that dreaded " Run Test "...Casey very well could DIE! :wft I know some players are very good at conditioning on their own. But for some others, they NEED the off-season workouts at the facility to FORCE them to show up, and get some exercise in. With no off-season workouts this off-season, you KNOW Casey is gonna report to camp at least at 4 1/2 Bills ! :lol: